Comparing Collects

Msgr Edwin Barnes, on his blog Ancient Richborough, recently reported on a meeting with his Ordinary Msgr. Newton. In the comments that followed the post, I found the following:

Independent
21 October 2012 18:20

As for being in touch with Anglican roots and English traditional culture - are a hymn book and former Anglican personnel enough? Have not the Americans of the Pastoral Provision set a good example by adapting the Book of Common Prayer and the King James' Bible for Catholic Use with the Book of Divine Worship?

Edwin21
October 2012 19:36

A good example for America, maybe; but not for former Anglo-Catholics in England. The rich treasury of Tudorbethan English has largely passed us by. No doubt we shall learn (or in the case of the very elderly, like me, relearn) to value BCP's cadences - but only when we have a version of the Mass authorised for our use. To try to use the Book of Divine Worship will not do - its bowdlerised BCP collects, for instance, grate on the ears of those who have used the Book of Common Prayer in times past. Meanwhile, the Customary of Our Lady of Walsingham (approved by our Ordinary)is a good place for us to begin.

I was surprised by the phrase "bowdlerised BCP collects". Is that really the case? There are, of course, numerous differences between the 1662 English Book of Common Prayer and the US BCP-derived Book of Divine Worship, some of which is because the latter book follows the revised Roman calendar of 1969, while the English book is based on the Sarum version of the older Roman calendar. But I did take a quick look at some collects from the two books to see if those prayers which are based on the same Latin originals are really so different. I'm not sure that "bowdlerised" is a just characterization.

A Comparison of some Collects from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662, and the Book of Divine Worship (Rite 1)
Book of Common Prayer 1662		Book of Divine Worship
First Sunday of Advent Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.		First Sunday of Advent Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Second Sunday of Advent Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them; that, by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.		Proper 28 The Sunday closest to November 16 Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them; that, by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Second Sunday of Advent Merciful God, who didst send thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Good Friday First of the three collects Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.		Good Friday Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Sunday after Ascension Day God, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven: We beseech thee leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us; and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.		Seventh Sunday of Easter O God, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven: We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Savior Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Fourth Sunday after Trinity O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord. Amen.		Proper 12 The Sunday closest to July 27 O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
And, per Msgr. Barnes' suggestion, here is the collect for Trinity Sunday from both books.
Trinity Sunday ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities; who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.		Trinity Sunday Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see thee in thy one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Sacred Liturgy and the New Evangelization

Msgr. Edwin Barnes of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham writes about the Sacred Liturgy as a means of the New Evangelization:

“The Sacred Liturgy is at the centre of the new evangelization,” said the Bishop of Frejus-Toulon in announcing an international conference on the Sacred Liturgy next summer. So as this year of faith begins our little Ordinairate Group in Bournemouth is trying to do something about bringing with us into the Catholic Church an Anglican emphasis on the beauty of holiness. Almost the first thing we did on arrival at Our Lady Queen of Peace was to acquire (through good Church of England friends in Southampton) copies of English Hymnal.

That book has come as a revelation to some of the long-time Catholics who join us at Mass now and again. "But there are hymns by St Thomas Aquinas! And Blessed John Henry Newman! And G.K. Chesterton ... how wonderful!"...

Read the rest of his post at Fr. Barnes' blog Ancient Richborough.

This is directly relevant, of course, to theme of this year's Anglican Use Society Conference. You can get full information on the conference and register to come at the conference web site.